Madge Morton, Captain of the Merry Maid eBook

“I came from my home in Virginia, and if by
‘that’ you mean my boat, it is a ‘Ship
of Dreams’ and was towed up here from Baltimore
yesterday afternoon. What do you think of it?”

“She isn’t a dream, she’s a peach,”
was the prompt retort.

“I’m glad you like her,” smiled
Madge in a winning fashion that caused the lad to
smile in return. “Why are you up so early
in the morning?”

“Driving home the cows,” was the laconic
answer.

“I don’t see any cows,” teased Madge.
“Wait a minute. I have something for
you to do. Would you like to earn a quarter?
If you would, then come back here about nine o’clock.
We are going to load our boat with some furniture
and provisions, and we would like to have you help
us.”

“All right, I’ll be here,” promised
the boy, and ran off into the bushes with a derisive
grin which Madge did not see.

A few moments later Madge went back to Eleanor to
have breakfast at the little boarding house where
she and her cousin had spent the night. Miss
Jones, Lillian and Phil had not yet arrived, but they
were expected by the early train that came from Baltimore.
The little village from which they intended to go
aboard their houseboat was only about half an hour’s
ride from the city, and was situated on one of the
quiet inlets of the bay.

Fifteen minutes before the train was due Eleanor and
Madge were impatiently waiting at the station.
The newcomers were so surrounded by bags, suit cases
and mysterious packages that it took all the men about
the depot to land them safely on the platform.
Madge gave the order to the expressman to bring all
their luggage to the houseboat landing near the willow
tree. Then the party started out to find the
boat, without losing a minute by the way.

Madge slipped her arm through that of Miss Jones and
walked beside her dutifully, though she secretly longed
to be with her chums. Lillian, Phil and Eleanor
joined hands and ran ahead, without being in the least
degree affected by the idea that they were no longer
children. Madge, however, was the only one who
knew the way. She hurried Miss Jones along until
that young woman was almost out of breath. When
they were within a short distance of the place where
she had found her boat waiting for her in the early
morning, she could bear it no longer. With a
murmured excuse she broke away from Miss Jones and
started on a run toward the willow tree. Her
three chums were close behind her. The branches
of the willow tree seemed more impenetrable in the
bright sunlight. It was not so easy to see through
them. Madge ran straight past the tree, then
uttered a shrill cry. She stopped short, her
cheeks turning first red, then white.

“What is it?” cried Phil, springing to
her friend’s side.

Madge pointed dumbly toward the water.

“Tell us!” said Eleanor, running up to
Madge and lightly grasping her arm.